Chapter 238: The Origin of the Plane
Amidst the terrifying Void Storm, the sound of clashing blades echoed incessantly around Xiao Tianchen. Numerous Void Blades relentlessly struck his protective spiritual formation.
"These Void Blades are truly formidable," Xiao Tianchen muttered with a solemn expression. "If even Heavenly Gold Chromium Iron can be cut, my grandmaster level protective formation might only withstand a few strikes before shattering."
Suddenly, a massive Void Blade over a meter long hurtled toward him.
"Damn, I can't dodge it!"
Xiao Tianchen tried to move, but the space around him exerted a strange, powerful suction force, locking him in place.
"BAM!"
The Void Blade slammed into his protective barrier with a deafening sound, generating a powerful force that hurled his body backward several meters.
"Huh? I can move now!"
As he was pushed back, Xiao Tianchen noticed that the restrictive force holding him in place had temporarily disappeared. Taking advantage, he launched himself forward with explosive power, covering some distance before he felt the suction force return.
"Only ten meters? What is this place?"
Before he could process it, another Void Blade, just as massive as the first, came slicing toward him.
"Damn it, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor! If I ever meet you in the Great Thousand World, I'll make you pay for this mess!" Xiao Tianchen cursed loudly, frustration written all over his face.
The blade struck, and once again, he was flung backward. Each time he advanced about ten meters, the mysterious suction force reappeared, followed by a blade attack.
"This pattern…" Xiao Tianchen frowned as he began analyzing the situation. **"Every ten meters, the suction force activates, and then comes the blade. If not for my immense Dou Qi reserves equivalent to eight or nine Half Emperor level fighters I'd have been exhausted by now.
"Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, you old schemer! Did you seal the Source of the Emperor's Power here to ensure that no one from the Dou Qi Continent could ever become a Dou Di?!"**
His angry muttering was interrupted by a sudden, ethereal voice echoing around him.
"Xiao Tianchen… Xiao Tianchen…"
The voice was faint yet seemed to surround him, coming from both nearby and far away.
"Who's there?! Stop playing tricks and show yourself!" Xiao Tianchen barked, his tone sharp.
"Xiao Tianchen…"
The voice continued to call his name, ignoring his demand.
"Let's see who's playing games with me!"
Determining the voice's origin, Xiao Tianchen bent his knees and launched himself forward like a cannonball. His fists erupted with power as he shattered several Void Blades, forging a path through the storm.
"BOOM!"
Two powerful high level Heavenly Techniques tore through the storm, carving a passage ten meters wide. Without hesitation, Xiao Tianchen darted forward.
As he advanced, the voice grew clearer and seemed to carry a hint of joy.
"Was that excitement in its tone?" Xiao Tianchen wondered aloud, his brows furrowed in suspicion.
Beyond the Void Storm
Breaking through the storm, Xiao Tianchen emerged into a surreal and tranquil scene. The raging winds and chaos disappeared, replaced by a serene, dreamlike environment. The space glowed softly, as though illuminated by sunlight, and an overwhelming sense of peace filled the air.
"How bizarre. One moment, I was in the midst of a deadly storm. The next, I'm in a place that feels like paradise."
The voice spoke again, this time tinged with unmistakable excitement.
"Xiao Tianchen…"
It now resembled the playful tone of a child greeting an old friend.
"Who are you?" Xiao Tianchen called out, his voice steady yet filled with caution.
"I am the Source of the Plane, the Plane Embryo of the Dou Qi Continent," the voice replied.
Xiao Tianchen froze, astonished. "The Plane Embryo of the Dou Qi Continent?!"
"Yes, I am the Plane Embryo," it confirmed calmly.
"Why can't I see you?" Xiao Tianchen asked, scanning his surroundings.
"I am dying," the Plane Embryo said softly. "In my current state, I am formless and invisible."
"Dying? A Plane Embryo can die?" Xiao Tianchen was bewildered.
"I am a form of life, just like you. When my essence is depleted, I cease to exist," it explained.
"If you die, what will happen to the Dou Qi Continent?" Xiao Tianchen asked urgently.
"What have you come here to seek?" the Plane Embryo countered, avoiding his question.
"The Source of the Emperor's Power," Xiao Tianchen replied truthfully.
The Plane Embryo's voice grew softer, almost wistful. **"What you call the Source of the Emperor's Power is my essence. For tens of thousands of years, countless geniuses have drawn from my essence to ascend to the Dou Di realm. Now, my essence is nearly exhausted.
"When I perish, the Dou Qi Continent will lose its Dou Qi entirely."**
The Gravity of the Situation
Xiao Tianchen's heart sank. "Without Dou Qi, the continent will fall into chaos. Every cultivator, every clan… all of them rely on it. Without it, the entire world as we know it will collapse!"
The Plane Embryo's voice was calm yet tinged with sorrow. "Yes. My existence sustains the balance of this world. When I am gone, the Dou Qi Continent will fade into history."
Xiao Tianchen clenched his fists, his mind racing. "There must be a solution. If I can help you recover "
"It is too late," the Plane Embryo interrupted gently. "My essence cannot regenerate. What remains of it is already bound to the seal left by Tuoshe Ancient Emperor. That is why I called to you. I wish to entrust you with a choice."
"A choice?" Xiao Tianchen asked, his tone cautious.
"Take what remains of my essence to ascend to the Dou Di realm, as countless others have before you. Or… preserve me, allowing the Dou Qi Continent to survive for a while longer."
Xiao Tianchen stood frozen, the weight of the Plane Embryo's words crushing him. The decision before him was not just one of power or ambition it was one that would determine the fate of an entire world.
Without the supply of Dou Qi, all life on the Dou Qi Continent whether human, plant, or magical beast would perish. Eventually, the entire continent would become a barren wasteland, a dead zone," the Plane Embryo said with a bitter laugh.
"So it's true…"
Xiao Tianchen wasn't shocked by this revelation. He had already considered such a possibility in his mind.
Both the Dou Po Cang Qiong (Battle Through the Heavens) and Wu Dong Qian Kun (Martial Universe) worlds, in essence, were small planes beneath the vast Great Thousand World.
In the world of Martial Universe, Lin Dong ultimately absorbed the Plane Embryo and ascended to the Ancestral Realm. Yet in the original Battle Through the Heavens novel, there was no mention of a Plane Embryo at all.
Moreover, why had Tuoshe Ancient Emperor sealed away the Source of the Emperor's Power, preventing the birth of another Dou Di for millennia?
As these questions swirled in his mind, Xiao Tianchen prepared to speak, but the Plane Embryo's voice interrupted him.
"Xiao Tianchen, it seems you're not surprised by this revelation. Have you already considered it?"
Xiao Tianchen nodded, his expression thoughtful. **"Anything used without moderation will eventually be depleted if it cannot be replenished.
Your existence confirms my suspicion: the Source of the Emperor's Power is your essence. Previously, the Dou Qi Continent gave rise to at least ten Dou Di experts. The problem is, after reaching the Dou Di realm, they all left the continent.
If those Dou Di fell within the Dou Qi Continent, you could reclaim the Source of the Emperor's Power from their bodies. But since they left, your essence could no longer be replenished. Am I correct?"**
The Plane Embryo sighed deeply. **"Xiao Tianchen, you're truly one of the most insightful people I've ever encountered. You're absolutely right.
If those who achieved the Dou Di realm had remained on the Dou Qi Continent, I could have reclaimed my essence upon their deaths. What's more, as long as they stayed, I could even draw a small portion of their essence while they lived to sustain myself.
However, every Dou Di leaves the Dou Qi Continent within a century. Even after their deaths, I cannot recover what was lost."**
Xiao Tianchen frowned. "If that's the case, why didn't you stop them from leaving? As the Plane Embryo, you must control access to the spatial channels leading to other planes. Without your permission, they wouldn't be able to open them, right?"
The Plane Embryo chuckled faintly. "You're correct. I could have stopped them. But every life born on the Dou Qi Continent is like my child. As their mother, I had no right to prevent them from pursuing their dreams."
Her voice carried pride, but Xiao Tianchen also detected a deep sorrow.
"And now? If I locate the five fragments of the Source of the Emperor's Power sealed by Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, it could create five new Dou Di. But once we leave the Dou Qi Continent, what will happen to you? Will you still choose death?" Xiao Tianchen asked after a moment of silence.
The Plane Embryo's voice softened. **"A thousand years ago, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor asked me the same question.
When I explained my situation to him, he sealed the last remaining fragments of the Source of the Emperor's Power. It's the only reason I'm still alive today. But I know Tuoshe didn't do it for me or the continent's inhabitants.
He only wanted to absorb more of the Source of the Emperor's Power for himself. Unfortunately, he failed he perished within his own seal."**
"What?! Tuoshe Ancient Emperor died?!" Xiao Tianchen was utterly shocked. "Wasn't he supposed to have gone to the Great Thousand World?"
"No," the Plane Embryo replied firmly. "He died within the seal he created."
The news stunned Xiao Tianchen. The appearance of the Plane Embryo was surprising enough, but to learn that Tuoshe Ancient Emperor had died within the Dou Qi Continent? It was beyond belief.
"I always thought he was like the other Dou Dis who left the plane," Xiao Tianchen murmured.
The Plane Embryo hesitated briefly before asking, "Xiao Tianchen, you mentioned the term 'Great Thousand World' earlier. Can you explain what it is?"
"Of course," Xiao Tianchen replied. **"The Great Thousand World is the higher plane that connects countless smaller worlds and dimensions, including the Dou Qi Continent.
Through spatial channels, anyone who survives the journey can reach it."**
The Plane Embryo sighed, her tone a mix of understanding and weariness. **"I see… I've observed you for a long time, but due to my dwindling essence, I've spent most of my existence in slumber. Thank you for explaining this to me.
The seal you seek lies to your left. Unfortunately, I cannot assist you further. Tuoshe left his essence fire as part of the seal, and its power is harmful to me. I cannot approach it.
However, your Golden Emperor Burning Flame, though weaker, shares a similar origin with Tuoshe's flame. It will allow you to bypass the seal without triggering its defenses."**
Hearing this, Xiao Tianchen turned to look in the indicated direction. However, before proceeding, he asked softly, **"You understand, don't you? If I take the Source of the Emperor's Power, and we ascend to the Dou Di realm, we'll leave the Dou Qi Continent. Without energy, you will die.
So why are you telling me all of this?"**
The Plane Embryo laughed lightly, her tone filled with warmth. **"Xiao Tianchen, you are intelligent and perceptive. I admire these qualities in you.
But you are correct I wish to survive. However, that does not mean I will stop you. Every being born into this world has their own fate. Those who choose the path of cultivation must accept the consequences of their decisions.
That said, I do have a request for you."**
Xiao Tianchen's expression hardened as he prepared for any potential threat. But sensing no malice, he let out a breath of relief.
"Speak. If it's within my power, I'll do it," he said calmly.
(Chapter End)
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